Spike Mendelsohn, From the Fire to the Frying Pan
Local celebrity chef Spike
Mendelsohn is trying to turn his health-inspection beef into a burger-selling bonanza.
The telegenic former "Top Chef" contestant opened Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill in July to lavish media
attention -- which turned sour last week with news that city health inspectors cited him after investigating hamburger meat left in the restaurant's back
alley.
Mendelsohn told us he suspects that a call from a jealous rival prompted the visit. He says the meat was out back because the cooler sits just inside the back door; deliveries are "hustled in" within minutes of drop-off. He said the inspector found the meat at the proper temp -- but the restaurant still got dinged for improper hand-washing, cutting-board cleaning and food storage.
So that's the story behind the new bacon-mushroom-Muenster special he added to the menu, and the banner he hung last week: "Home of the Back Alley Burger." Er, does that sound appetizing? "People are ordering it like crazy," he said.
